
Author.. 



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16— 308W-1 GPO 



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1EMOII 



OF 




| HANNAH B. COOK, § 

aPSjj WHO DIED IN CAMPTON, N. H. g% 

gft December 7, 1831, 

#^ AGED SEVEN YEARS. 










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© BOSTON: 



♦^ £3 



MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY. %» 

© Depository, No. 24, Comhill. CsS 

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® 1833. ® 



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" Suffer little children to come unto me." 






MEMOIR 



HANNAH B. CCJjOK, 

WHO DIED IN CAMPTON, N. H. 

December 7, 1831, 

AGED SEVEN YEARS. 



• * 



WRITTEN FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL 

SOCIETY; AND REVISED BY THE COMMITTEE 

OF PUBLICATION. 



sec 



BOSTON: 

MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY. 
Depository, No. 24, Cornhill. 

1833. 












Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1833, 

By Christopher C. Dean, 
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



rfj'-£: 









MEMOIR 



Seven years and six weeks measured 
the life of Hannah B. Cook, of Campton, 
New Hampshire. She was the daughter of 
Coffin and Rebecca B. Cook, who dedicated 
her to God in the sacred ordinance of bap- 
tism in her infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Cook 
had three children, a son and two daughters. 
Hannah, their youngest, was born Oct. 25, 
1824. 

It has been thought due to the riches of 
divine grace, that some brief account of the 
religious feelings of this little girl, during the 
last year of her life, in her last short sickness, 
and while on her dying bed, should be given 
1* 



5 MEMOIR OF 

to the public, with the hope that it will 
prove beneficial to others, who are yet in the 
morning of their days. The well known 
truth, that example has far more influence 
with the young than mere precept, prompts 
the writer of this memoir to sketch a few 
particulars of this dear youth, who was so 
early and so suddenly taken from the em-- 
braces of her afflicted parents. 

The hope is indulged also, that if any pa-*, 
rents should read this, they will take a lesson, 
both of encouragement and admonition, from 
the case of this loved child. A long con- 
tinued bodily affliction, in the case of one of 
the parents of Hannah, may at last be 
seen to have been the exciting cause, under 
God, of a more wakeful and diligent course 
of faithfulness in the performance of parental 
duties. The sovereignty of God in the dis- 
pensations of grace, is connected with the 
means as well as the end. Whatever, there- 
fore, may be the allotments of the Most High 
to parents, whether health or sickness, pros- 
perity or adversity, they are encouraged to 



HANNAH B. COOK. 7 

be unceasingly faithful in training up their 
children in the nurture and admonition of the 
Lord, with the strong hope that they " shall 
reap if they faint not." 

The case now before usj furnishes an ad- 
monitory lesson to parents, that what they 
would do for the spiritual good of their chil- 
dren, should not long be delayed. Parental 
duties, interesting and imperious as they are, 
cannot be neglected with safety either to 
parents or children. The early death of this 
child is but one, among a multitude of cases, 
by which we are taught, that no degree of 
health in children is a safeguard against dis- 
ease and death. 

fe The fairest, freshest flower, 
Is cut down and withered in an hour." 

"And thou shalt teach them diligently 
unto thy children, and shalt talk of them 
when thou sittest in thine house, and when 
thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest 
down, and when thou risest up" — is a scrip- 
ture direction to parents on the subject of 



g MEMOIR OF 

giving religious instruction to their children, 
which ought ever to be kept in remembrance. 
The amazing responsibility of parents will y 
probably, never be fully understood till they 
enter the eternal world. The Scriptures, 
however, are replete with instructions to pa- 
rents, that they be untiring in their efforts to 
guide their children in the way of righteous- 
ness. They are not left without great en- 
couragement, that they shall reap a rich 
reward in the future good of their children. 
" Train up a child in the way he should go* 
and when he is old, he will not depart from 

it." 

Perhaps on no particular subject is there 
a greater failure with parents generally, both 
those who are pious and those who are 
not, than in their religious duties towards 
their .children. That this neglect is a vio- 
lation of scripture directions, that it implies 
an undervaluing of the promises of God to 
parents, cannot be questioned. If the fol- 
lowing sketch shall be instrumental of prompt- 
ing some parent to a more faithful perform- 



HANNAH B. COOK. 9 

ance of parental duties, or of exciting some 
child to seek the Lord while young, the 
time occupied in preparing it will not be lost. 

Hannah was naturally rather of a lively 
turn of mind. She was in the first years of 
her life, like other children, playful ; some- 
times pleasant, sometimes otherwise. But 
while quite young, she manifested, occasion- 
ally, some serious reflections. 

She was affectionate to her parents ; but 
this did not prevent her from sometimes dis- 
obeying them ; it did not keep her from 
sometimes feeling and doing wrong. It can- 
not be denied that she had a wicked heart. 
May those children who read this little book, 
and for them it is particularly designed, re- 
member that they have wicked hearts also ; 
that they must seek mercy of the Lord, or 
they cannot be saved. 

The summer after she was three years 
old, she became a member of the Sabbath 
school, and continued in the school till her 
last sickness. She was fond of being there, 



10 MEMOIR OF 

and her attachment to the school increased 
as she continued to attend. 

When very young, she had some strong 
impressions of the uncertainty of life. If a 
member of the family were making calcula- 
tions for the future, she would often say to 
them, "You don't know that you will live 
till that time." The feeble state of her 
mother's health for a long time, may have 
been the means of making her think more 
than she would otherwise have done on this 
subject. Youth are admonished, by the death 
of many of their number, that they are con- 
stantly liable to be cut down and summoned 
to the eternal world. For this reason they 
are exhorted in the Bible, to " seek the Lord 
while he may be found," to " call upon him 
while he is near." They are encouraged to 
do this by the declaration, that " those that 
seek him early shall find him." 

Hannah early exhibited some sensibility 
on spiritual subjects, and a tender conscience. 
Once, when reading a book taken from the 
Sabbath-school library, she met with the re- 



HANNAH B. COOK. H 

mark, " that the word wont, was frequently 
used among children, but it was very wrong : 
it came from the bottomless pit." After this 
if her brother or sister said " wont," she 
would reprove them, saying, " it was a wick- 
ed word, it came from the bottomless pit, 
and if they said it they would go there." 

But it will not be supposed, I trust, by 
those children that read this history of Han- 
nah, that she had not a wicked heart; for 
she was sinful, as other children are. She 
manifested at times wrong feelings and a 
perverse spirit, and so made it necessary for 
her parents to chastise her. " Chastise thy 
son while there is hope, and let not thy soul 
spare for his crying." Prov. xix. 18. 

As Hanriah had been taught, that it would 
be very wicked for her to use bad words, or 
utter a falsehood, and that God would see 
her if she did wrong, it was seldom she was 
known to commit either of these sins. But 
often when she heard others use bad words, 
she would tell her mother, and ask whether 



12 MEMOIR OF 

they would not go to hell if they used such 
words. 

When she was told that she was a sin- 
ner, and that unless she was sorry for her 
sins and obtained forgiveness from God, 
she would go "where the worm dieth not,, 
and the fire is not quenched," she would often 
weep and be afraid lest she should die and 
go there. 

Hannah appeared at times to be very sen- 
sible that her heart was wicked, that she was 
unwilling to attend to the concerns of her 
soul through opposition of heart to God, 
though she was sensible, at the same time, 
that she must have religion or be shut out of 
heaven. Her mother told her at a certain 
time, that she must seek the Lord — must 
pray in her own words, besides repeating the 
prayers which she had learned. Hannah 
replied, " I can't ; I don't know what to say ; 
I do not love to pray." The prayers of her 
mother, however, she seemed highly to value. 
While her mother was sick, Hannah often 
came to her bedside, and would say, " I hope, 



i 



HANNAH B. COOK. 13 

Ma', you wont die ; if you do, I shan't have 
any Ma'- to pray with me ! " 

When she was about six years old, her 
mother made arrangements to spend some 
time from home, in search of health. Before 
leaving, she called her children to her once 
more to pray with them — to urge them to 
remember God their Creator while young, 
and to love the Saviour in the morning of 
their days. 

Hannah was deeply affected. She beg- 
ged her mother to pray for her, while she 
was gone, and expressed a hope, that they 
should meet in heaven, if they should not 
meet again on earth ; though Hannah was 
apparently conscious, that she was not then 
prepared for heaven. 

In the month of June, 1831, she attended 
a protracted meeting, and became deeply 
concerned for her soul. She was greatly 
alarmed through fear of future punishment. 
During the continuance of this feeling, she 
said she did not love God, because he would 

cast her into hell. She began, however, 

2 



,4 MEMOIR OF 

to pray more regularly in her own language, 
and confess her sins to God. She appeared 
to have more clear discoveries of the sinful- 
ness of her heart, and of her lost condition, 
without an interest in Christ. One night, 
while her mind was in this state, her mother 
said to her, " Can you not kneel beside me, 
and confess to God how wicked you are, 
and ask him to have mercy upon you?" 
Yes, ma'ma, she replied, and immediately 
knelt down and commenced, in her own 
simple language, praying that "God would 
save her from hell, and carry her to heaven." 

On the next Sabbath, her distress was very 
great, but she had lost her fear lest God 
should cast her into hell, and said, it would 
be right if He should send her there. On 
the evening of that Sabbath, a person came 
in, who was also in distress of mind. Han- 
nah was so much affected on hearing him 
converse, that she wept aloud. Her mother 
said to her, — 

" What makes you cry so ? " 



HA3NTNAH B. COOK. 15 

" Because," she replied, " I am such a sin- 



ner." 



" But what makes you think you are a 
sinner ? " 

" Because I don't love Christ." 

" Do you want to love him ? " said her 
mother. 

" Yes, ma'ma." 

" What makes you want to love him ? " 

" Because he is good, and died to save 
wicked children." 

"Did he die," continued Hannah, "to 
save such a wicked girl as I am, Ma' ? " 

The mother's answer need not be given : 
what saith the Saviour ? " Suffer the little 
children to come unto me, and forbid them 
not, for of such is the kingdom of* God." 
Mark, x. 14. 

The conversation continued. 

14 Ought you not to love Christ ? " said her 
mother. 

"Yes, ma'ma. I do wish I could love 
him?" 

" Why can't you love him ? " 



16 MEMOIR OF 

" Because my heart is so wicked, I don't 
know how to love him. I think I should 
love him if I could see him." 

One day, about this time, an individual 
came in who had been under serious im- 
pressions, and obs'erved, that if not deceiv- 
ed he had given his heart to Christ. Lit- 
tle Hannah, at this time, was sitting by the 
side of her mother bathed in tears. When 
this person had left the room, Hannah ex- 
pressed great satisfaction and joy, that — ■ — 
had given his heart to Christ, and exclaimed, 
" O, how I wish L could." Her mother pro- 
posed to her to kneel down and pray for a 
new heart. Hannah knelt down, and ex- 
pressed herself in words similar to the fol- 
lowing : " O Lord Jesus, I am a great sinner. 
O Lord, I have sinned against thee. O Lord, 
take away my bad heart. O God, give me 
a new heart. O Lord, have mercy upon 
me. O Lord, I want to love thee, but I 
don't know how to love thee. O Lord, make 
me love thee, and when I die may I go to 
heaven." 



HANNAH B. COOK. 17 

From this time, she continued to pray in 
her own language, besides repeating forms of 
prayer which she had committed to memory. 
She was often overheard in the evening, by 
members of the family, pouring out her de- 
sires to God, after she had gone to her room. 

After this, till the time of her death, she 
never declined to pray in the presence of her 
mother, though before, she at times had ex- 
pressed some diffidence, saying, she didn't 
know what to say. When she prayed with 
her mother, she did not confine her thoughts 
to herself, but would pray for others, particu- 
larly for her little playmates. She said, 
if she was ashamed to pray she should be 
ashamed of Jesus, and that would be very 
wicked. The child indeed gave good evi- 
dence that she loved to pray. It is believed 
that from this to the time of her death, she 
prayed every day in secret, besides other 
seasons spent in prayer with others. She 
was seen one day, by the side of a large rock, 
in company with one of her mates, earnestly 
engaged in prayer ; and she occasionally met 
2* 



18 MEMOIR OF 

with some others for prayer about this time, 
which was perhaps two months before her 
death. She expressed to her mother the 
gratification she felt, that her pastor had 
conversed with her on the subject of re- 
ligion, and manifested her attachment to him 
by requesting a particular book to be given 
him. 

She was fond of the Sabbath school, and 
loved her Sabbath-school teacher, as was 
seen in the remarks she made respecting her. 

Her teacher had not at this time united 
with the church. Hannah, one day, in con- 
versation with her mother, said ; " Why don't 
my teacher belong to the church ? my former 
Sabbath school teachers do. Don't she love 
God?" 

" I hope she does," said her mother. 

"Is she ashamed of Jesus, then?" said 
Hannah, and added, "I want every body 
to love God, and then we shall go to heaven 
together." 

After her teacher had related her religious 
experience to the church, with the intention 



HANNAH B. COOK. 19 

of uniting with it, little Hannah said, "I wish 
I could join the church too." 

" Why ? " said her mother. 

" I think I love God," she answered 

"But you have a deceitful heart; I am 
afraid you do not love God." 

" I mean to love him," said Hannah, and 
was much affected. 

She inquired if little girls ever did belong 
to the church. When told that none younger 
than twelve or thirteen ever belonged to that 
church, she said, " If I love God, I shall be- 
long to his church, if I don't to Mr. H 's, 

shan't I, Ma' ? " The answer to this inter- 
esting inquiry may easily be conjectured. 
She appeared from day to day to have a 
sense of divine things, though she was occa- 
sionally lively and playful as usual. Her 
mother does not remember conversing with 
her at any time, after she became thoughtful, 
without her manifesting deep feeling. 

An incident occurred, about this period of 
her history, which shows that there are evil 
propensities in children as well as in others, 



20 MEMOIR OF 

even where we may hope grace has been 
implanted. These evil propensities, at one 
time, triumphed over the kind and Chris- 
tian feelings, which had usually appeared in 
Hannah for some time previous to her last 
sickness. She treated her sister in an un- 
kind and improper manner. Her subse- 
quent feelings, however, showed that grace 
exerted a controling influence over her 
mind. Her mother deemed it her • duty to 
punish her, and when she had done this she 
prayed with her. Immediately Hannah, of 
her own accord, knelt down and prayed 
for herself, and continued for some time 
deeply affected. She had previously ask- 
ed her sister's forgiveness. As she con- 
tinued to weep for a long time, her mother 
asked her, why she cried so, as her sister had 
forgiven her. " Because," said she, " I am 
such a wicked girl I fear God won't forgive 
me." 

Some conversation, which her mother had 
with her a few weeks before her sickness and 
death, is worthy of being recorded, as show* 



HANNAH B. COOK. 21 

ing her solicitude for others, and her views of 
the necessity of love to God, in order to be 
fitted to enjoy the happiness of heaven. 

A babe of one of the relatives of the family 
was dangerously sick. Hannah asked her 
mother, where the babe would go, if it should 
die? 

" God only knows ; he will do right. 3 ' 

" Do little babes ever go to heaven ? I 
hope she will go there if she dies," continued 
Hannah ; " but she is so little, I am afraid she 
don't know how to love God, and if she don't 
love God, she will go to that dreadful place ; " 
meaning hell. Her mother said, "You must 
pray for the babe." 

"I shall, Ma'," said Hannah, and soon 
after, retiring to her chamber, she was over- 
heard praying to God. She prayed for the 
little child, that God would spare its life, or 
prepare it for heaven. 

It is a comforting truth, that God is able to 
" perfect praise out of the mouth of babes 
and sucklings." He can prepare the young- 
est mind to taste the bliss of heaven. It is 



23 MEMOIR OF 

safe, then, to leave those in the hands of God, 
who are cut down in the very morning of 
their days; remembering that "the Judge of 
all the earth will do right." 

Two weeks before her death, and while in 

health, she attended the funeral of Mrs. J , 

a devoted Christian. After returning home, 
she entered into conversation with her mother. 

"What is Mrs. J doing in heaven? 

Is she praying there ? " 

"No; her prayers are turned to praises," 
said her mother. 

" O, she's praising God in heaven," said 
Hannah, with emotion, " and if I love God, I 
shall go there and praise him too, when I die, 
shan't I, Ma' ? " 

" How should you feel, if you should be 

sick and die as Mrs. J did ? " 

" I don't know," said Hannah. 
" Should you be willing to die ? " 
"Yes, Ma'." 

" Where do you think you should go ? " 
" I think I should go and be with Jesus," 
said the little girl. 



HANNAH B. COOK. 23 

" What makes you think you should be 
with Jesus ? " 

" Because I love him," she replied. 

About one week before her death, two of 
the Sabbath scholars in the same school with 
her were called to the eternal world. One 
of them died suddenly. Shortly after these 
afflictive events, which were indeed solemn 
warnings to the youth, Hannah's mother 
€;adeayored to ascertain the state of her feel- 
ings. 

"What do you think," said her mother, 
" would become of you, if you should die as 
suddenly as R did ? " 

" I don't know," replied Hannah, " but I 
hope I should go to heaven." 

" Why do you wish to go to heaven ? " 

" Because God is there." 

" Do you love God ? " said her mother. 

" I hope I do, but I am afraid I don't." 

" What makes you afraid you don't love 
God ? " 

" My heart is so wicked," said she. 

" Who told you your heart was wicked ? " 



24 MEMOIR OF 

" The Bible." 

She often complied with her mother's re- 
quest to pray with her, and sometimes when 
her brother and sister, older than herself, 
were present. On these occasions, she was 
at times deeply affected ; and particularly on 
one occasion, as she prayed, saying, " O 
God, have mercy on us sinners ; " apparently 
feeling, that she, with others present, were 
great sinners, and must have mercy from God, 
or be cut off from all future happiness. 

One night, only a few days before her 
death, Hannah went early to bed ; but when 
her mother retired, she awoke, and some 
time was spent in religious conversation. 

" Did you not forget to pray, as you went 
to bed?" 

" No, ma'ma, I always pray," said Han- 
nah. 

" Do you love to pray ? " 

" Yes, ma'ma." 

" Can you pray with me ? " said her moth- 
er. 

"Yes, ma'ma," she replied, and com- 



HANNAH B. COOK. 25 

menced praying. She prayed for her mates 
particularly, begged of God, that he would 
change their hearts. She prayed for her 
sister, who was unwell, and for the other 
members of the family ; and then closed with 
the Lord's prayer. The sincerity, fervency, 
and humility of her petitions, drew tears 
from her mother's eyes; though she little 
thought that her daughter, then in health, was 
so soon to sleep in death. Does not the 
uncertainty of life, illustrated by this case of 
early and sudden death, furnish parents a 
solemn admonition, not to delay parental 
duties ? Their children may, in an unex- 
pected moment, be forever removed be- 
yond the reach of their instructions. Duties 
performed will be some source of consolation 
to parents, when bereaved of their children. 
Duties neglected will be a source of bitter 
reflection to them, when suddenly called to 
see their children die. 

When Hannah had closed her prayer, the 
same friend said to her, — 
3 



26 MEMOIR OF 

" When did you first think you loved Jesus 
Christ ? " 

" Last summer," she replied. 

" Why did you not love him before ? " 

" Because I had such a wicked heart." 

" Have you a good heart now ? " 

" No," said Hannah, " my heart is wicked 



now." 



" What then makes you think you love 
God?" 

" God makes my wicked heart love him." 

" Do you ever feel afraid you never did 
love the Saviour ? " said her mother. 

" Yes, ma'ma," answered this dear little 
girl, under a conviction doubtless of the de- 
ceitfulness of her own heart. 

" What do you do when you feel so ? " 
asked her mother. 

" I try to pray." 

" What do you pray for ? " 

She replied, " That God would take away 
my bad heart, and give me a good heart." 

" What do you want a good heart for ? " 

" To love God with." 



HANNAH B. COOK. 27 

" Why do you want to love God ? " 

" Because he is good, and isn't wicked 
any." 

" Should you love God, if he should cast 
you into hell ? " 

" I don't know," she replied. 

" Would it be right if you should go 
there ? " 

" Yes, ma'ma," she answered. 

" Would it be right if God should cast you 
off, when you pray to him ? " 

" Yes, ma'ma." 

"Why?" 

" Because I am so wicked." 

This is only a part of the conversation 
which passed between them at that time ; 
but it is enough to show the state of her mind 
on religious subjects. Eight days after this 
conversation, Hannah was slumbering in the 
grave. 

Within a few days of this time, a friend 
called and related some particulars of the 
calm and peaceful death of one, who had 
lived a pious life, and had lately left this 



28 MEMOIR OF 

world for a better. The conversation greatly 
affected little Hannah. 

Though so young, she took a lively in- 
terest in all that was said. After the friend 
had retired, she conversed about death with 
great composure, little thinking, for she was 
then in health, that her own death was so 
near. 

She said, " I should be willing to die at 
any time." 

" Why are you willing to die ? " asked her 
mother. 

" So as to be free from sin and be with 
Jesus," she replied. 

" What makes you want to be with Je- 
sus ? " 

" Because he shed his blood for me." 

" Why do you wish to be free from sin ? " 
said her mother. 

" Because God hates sin, and if I sin he 
•will hate me too," replied this dear little girl. 

Within a day or two after this conversation, 
Hannah was ill, though there was nothing in 
her illness that appeared alarming. On the 



HANNAH B. COOK. 29 

Sabbath following, she was more unwell, and 
a physician was called. 

She expressed a desire to attend meeting, 
said it was communion day, and a number 
were to be taken into the church. This 
seemed to be the reason why she so much 
desired to attend meeting on that Sabbath. 

During the day she requested her mother 
to sing, 

« Remember sinful youth, you must die ; " &c. 

During the same day she again requested 
her mother to sing to her. She had several 
favorite hymns, which she had occasionally 
requested her mother to sing, and which she 
sometimes attempted to sing herself. She 
selected at this time, the lines commencing 
with 9 

" Give ear to me, ye sons of men, 

Why stand ye gazing round my bed ; 
You all must die, the Lord knows when, 

And lie amongst the silent dead. 
Though now in health, you all must die, 
And turn to dust as well as I. 
3* 



30 MEMOIR OF 

When from my Maker's hand I came, 

The seeds of death were in me sown ; 
Which will dissolve this mortal frame, 
Soon as the bloom of life is blown. 
. Behold me on a dying bed ; 
Forget me not, when I am dead." 

Her mother complied with the request, and 
sung the stanzas, little thinking that that would 
be the last time she should ever sing to her, 
or that the words she had been requested to 
sing would so soon be verified in the case of 
the dear child who had made the request. 

It is unnecessary to suppose, that she had 
had any premonition of her death ; but it is 
worthy of notice, that she selected words, 
which were so suited to the event that very 
soon followed. 

In the following night she was more un- 
well. The disorder assumed an alarming 
aspect. But though afflicted with severe 
pain, she was patient. When asked how 
she was, she usually said, " better ; " as 
though she did not wish to complain of God's 
dealings with her. 

On Monday the disease increased, and 



HANNAH B. COOK. 31 

she felt herself that she must die soon. She 
talked with her sister ; told her she was going 
to die ; told her not to be ashamed of Jesus, 
for if she was, Jesus would be ashamed of 
her when she came to die. She repeated 
the stanza, — 

" Ashamed of Jesus ! that dear Friend, 
In whom my hopes of heaven depend ! 
No ! when I blush be this my shame, 
That I no more revere his name." 

This had been her favorite hymn from the 
time she first hoped she loved the Saviour. 
It was her request that it should be sung at 
her funeral. 

She made a disposal of her little books, of 
which she had a number ; wishing them to 
be given, after her decease, to her playmates. 
A particular volume she requested to be given 
to her minister. She expressed a wish also 
to see him. He knew nothing of her par- 
ticular wishes at that time, but hearing she 
was sick, he called to see her. She was 
asleep. Her mother had told her, that if she 
was no better they would send for him. Af- 



32 MEMOIR OF 

ter she awoke, she was told that he had been 
to see her, and would call again. She said 
she was sorry she was not awake ; she wanted 
to see him. 

« Why do you wish to see him ? " said her 
mother. 

" To have him pray for me." 

" What do you wish to have him pray 
for?" 

" That I may be prepared to die and go to 
heaven." 

" Do you think you shall die ? " 

" Yes," said she. 

The feelings of the mother were consider- 
ably overcome at the thought of parting with 
her loved child, which led to some expres- 
sions, that produced a corresponding effect on 
Hannah's feelings. A pause ensued, that the 
emotions 'mutually excited might subside. 
After some little time had elapsed, the con~ 
yersation was resumed. 

" Why do you wish to die, and go to hea- 
ven ? " 

P That I may be with Jesus." 



HANNAH B. COOK. 33 

" Why do you wish to be with Jesus ? " 

" Because I love him," she replied. 

" What makes you love him ? " 

" Because he died for sinners, and for me 



too." 



Here the conversation was interrupted. 
Hannah was very sick, and afflicted with 
severe pain, but manifested no impatience at 
the dealings of God with her. 

In the afternoon of Monday, her sickness 
increased. She appeared to be rapidly sink- 
ing. She was able to talk but little. 

Tuesday morning, the day before she died, 
She appeared more comfortable, and con- 
versed with less difficulty. But the disor- 
der was making, progress. She was patient, 
though distressed through the day. Her 
pastor called again to see her. When told 
that he had called, she expressed great pleas- 
ure, and wished him to pray with her. 

"What 'do you wish him to pray for?" 
said one. 

" That God would forgive my sins." 



34 MEMOIR OF 

A paroxysm of pain interrupted the con- 
versation. 

Early the next morning, the day on which 
she died, she was asked how she was. She 
looked up very pleasantly and said, " I am 
well." She was then probably free from 
bodily distress, to which she had been subject. 
But it was evident she was fast sinking into 
the arms of death. 

Her mother sat by her bedside, watching 
the progress of the disease. 

She endeavored to ascertain the state of 
her mind, at the near approach of death, and 
said to her, 

" Do you know you are going to die and 
leave us ? " 
. " Yes." 

*' Are you willing to die, and leave your 
father and mother, your brother and sister, 
and your aunt C. ?" who was then a mem-* 
ber of the family. 

" Yes." 

" ( What makes you wish to die?" 

*< To be with Jesus." 



HANNAH B. COOK. 35 

xx Have you any thing," said she, " you 
wish me to tell your mates for you ? " 

" Tell them to love God, and when they 
die they will go to fceaven." 

She had a small piece of money strung to 
her neck. Her mother said to her, 

" What do you wish me to do with that ? " 
It was expected she would give it to her 
brother or sister. 

" Send it to the heathen" said she. 

This was on the morning of her death, and 
she was apparently soon to pass into the eter- 
nal world. 

A friend, who sat by her bedside, said to 
her, 

" Which do you love most, your father and 
mother, or Jesus ? " 

" Jesus," said she, and it was the last loud 
word she ever uttered. 

A short time after this, her father asked 
her, if she knew -him. She whispered, 

« Yes." 

She lay some time*wkh her eyes closed, 
with symptoms of approaching dissolution. 



36 MEMOIR OF HANNAH b. COOK. 

Her pastor came in to see her. His name 
being mentioned to her, she raised her eye- 
lids a little, as though she wished to see ; but 
her sight was probably gone. They fell 
again, and she soon ceased to breathe. This 
was on December 7th, 1831. 

•Thus died this sweet child in the morning 
of her days ; but not without giving evidence 
that, having loved the Saviour in her youth, 
she has gone thus early to be with him in the 
paradise of God. 

May the youthful readers of this little vol- 
ume, begin early to love and serve the Sa- 
viour, that when they die, as they all must 
die, they may go to the happy home of the 
righteous. 




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